This invention relates generally to surgical retractors, and more particularly to a surgical retractor which includes a frame having a plurality of retractor arms carried thereby and with retractor blades carried by the arms and depending therefrom for placement in an incised wound to engage the flesh at the edges of the wound to pull the flesh out of the way of a surgeon during the performance of an operation.
Many different types of surgical retractors as broadly outlined above are known in the prior art, and the present invention is directed to various improvements in surgical retractors. The surgical retractor according to the present invention possesses several unique advantages over prior art devices.
For example, the retractor blade of the present invention includes a plurality of telescopically interengaged blade sections, whereby the length of the blade may be extended or collapsed to accommodate itself to various depths of incisions, and interengaging stop means are on the blade sections to limit extension of the blade sections and to maintain the blade sections in assembled relationship. In the prior art, complete disassembly of the blade from the arm is generally necessary in order to disassemble the blade sections for cleaning and sterilization thereof. With the present invention, the stop means are selectively movable to an inoperative position to enable the blade sections to be slid or extended out of engagement with one another and thus disassembled for cleaning or sterilization, and without requiring removal of the blade from the arm. Further, the blade of the present invention is mounted to the arm for pivotal movement through a predetermined angular displacement, whereby the blade seeks its own position relative to the flesh at the edge of an incision, and one or the other of the edges of the blade will thus not dig into or gouge the flesh. The means for thus mounting the blade is exceptionally simple and rugged, and comprises a single movable stop pin engagable with an opening to lock the blade in a centered position, and an arcuate slot having a pin engaged therein, whereby positive limits of angular movement of the blade are defined when the movable pin is released from its opening.
Still further, the relatively movable blade sections in the telescoping blade have flexible guard means thereon which prevents pinching of flesh between adjacent blade sections during use of the blade.
Additionally, a finger tab is provided on a lowermost blade section of a plurality of telescopically interengaged blade sections to facilitate collapse and extension of the blade sections.
Further, in accordance with the present invention a unique means of attaching a flexible tip to a retractor blade is disclosed, whereby existing retractor blades as well as future retractor blades can be provided with a flexible tip to prevent tissue necrosis and the like. In other words, not only can retractor blades be manufactured with the flexible tip thereon, but retractor blades already in use can have the flexible tips applied thereto, and thus obtain the benefits of the flexible tip without requiring purchase of an entire blade.
Still further, in accordance with the present invention a retractor arm having a pivotal section therein is provided to facilitate application and removal of an arm and its associated blade to the frame and placement of the blade in an incised wound after other blades are already positioned. Additionally, the pivot means enables the outer end portion of the arm to be pivoted out of the way of a surgeon during the performance of an operation.
Another unique part of the present invention is a novel tailpiece blade which comprises an improvement over the conventional Balfour blade, and the tailpiece blade of the present invention is of one-piece construction and has a compound curvature such that it extends below and gathers the fatty flesh at the edge of an incision to hold the fatty flesh upwardly and outwardly out of the way of a surgeon. The configuration of the tailpiece blade is such that the lower edge thereof does not gouge into the flesh, as do prior art blades of this type. Further, the tailpiece blade (as well as the collapsible blades heretofore described) has its pivot axis disposed at right angle relative to the axis of the arm, and the blade itself is inclined rearwardly relative to the pivot axis, whereby the blade extends slightly rearwardly to prevent the blade from riding up out of an incision when in use.